1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a microfluidic apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a microfluidic apparatus capable of preventing cross contamination between reaction chambers, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A microfluidic apparatus is designed to manipulate a small quality of fluid such that a biological or chemical reaction is performed.
In general, a microfluidic structure for conducting an independent function in the microfluidic apparatus includes a chamber, which blocks a fluid, and a valve, which controls a channel through which a fluid flows and the flow of fluid, and is provided in a variety of combinations of such a chamber and valve. Lab-on-a-chip represents an apparatus configured to have a microfluidic structure disposed on a chip-shaped substrate to perform a test including a biological or chemical reaction on a small-sized chip, and to enable several steps of processes and manipulations. In order to transport a fluid in the microfluidic structure, a driving pressure is required, and a capillary force may be used as the driving pressure. In recent years, a disc-type microfluidic apparatus, which is configured to have a microfluidic structure disposed on a disc-shape platform and to perform a series of processes while moving a fluid by use of a centrifugal force, has been suggested.
When a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is performed to amplify nucleic acid in the conventional microfluidic device, a reaction solution may be evaporated due to continuous thermal cycling reactions. The reaction solution evaporated from one reaction chamber may therefore be mixed with the reaction solution evaporated from another reaction chamber, thereby causing cross contamination between reaction chambers.
In addition, reaction solutions accommodated in reaction chambers may become separated from the respective reaction chambers due to shaking, vibration or an external impact. Such separated reaction solutions may then be mixed with another, thereby causing cross contamination between reaction chambers.
Such a cross contamination may degrade the reliability of nucleic acid reaction or other reactions that are expected at each reaction chamber.